But back to the tussle.
This being Claire Fraser, she wouldnt be going down without a fight.
So fight she does, wresting the intruders blade away and turning it back on him.
Credit: Aimee Spinks/Starz
He conveniently trips and knocks his head on the stone hearth to all appearances, a fatal blow.
Yet, when Jamie returns to the room seconds later, the man begins gasping for air.
Jamie doesnt quite understand, but he agree to help.
It turns out this man is John Barton, an exciseman sent at Sir Percivals command.
(Youll recall Sir Percival as the man attempting to extort Jamie during the last episode.)
The two have long had an agreement that Percival would look the other way at Jamies smuggling indiscretions.
But just like every Duane Reade in New York City, theres a line.
The man, Mr. Campbell, agrees, and Claire is filling her basket with the necessary supplies.
Claire returns to the brothel to find Jamie and Mr. Willoughby unwisely pinning the exciseman to the bed.
He asks to search the premises, and Jamie and Jeanne tell him hes free to do so.
We have a leak, Madame Jeanne explains.
Thats why we cant store anything of value down here.
The exciseman has died.
She feels bad for failing Barton.
And she feels bad for dropping back into Jamies life unannounced and causing such a mess.
Sassenach, you came thousands of miles and 200 years to find me, Jamie says.
Im grateful you are here, no matter the cost.
I will give up everything I have for us to be together again.
Well soon learn those words mean even more than Claire knows.
He tries to send Fergus along, but Claire blanches.
Tonight is the night you do more than look!
Fergus tells him of the bonny lass, followed by his three-step plan:
1.
Tell her shes beautiful
2.
Get her a drink
3.
Repeat 1 and 2 over and over again
And you know what?
That strategy actually seems to work!
But Archibald isnt sure a mere tea will sedate Margaret for their upcoming trip to the West Indies.
(Theory: Could this woman be the corpse from Joe Abernathys table?)
Jamie explains that every one of his shillings go to Lallybroch and that the brothel room comes rent-free.
Ian, no surprise, looks as though hes seen a ghost when he lays eyes on Claire.
He wells up and embraces her: Is it you lass?
We thought you were… Claire retells her tall tale of her post-Culloden flee to the colonies.
Hes mid-coitus with the woman from the tavern when they hear a loud commotion in the printshop.
He tells her to run out the back way as he goes to investigate.
Its Percivals henchman looking for casks.
Meanwhile, Claire and Jamie retreat back to their room, where Claire confronts him over his falsehood.
Since when do you lie to your family?
She excuses it as a little white lie.
I didnt realize lies had shades, Jamie retorts.
(She did not.)
They probably could have continued until dawn had it not been for word that Jamies printshop was ablaze.
Jamie runs into the building to rescue a trapped Ian, and emerges with him slung over his shoulder.
Ian is able to catch his breath just enough to warn Jamie of the purloined pamphlets.
High treason is a capital crime, after all.
Sounds like Jamie might have to guzzle some of that creme de menthe for a little liquid courage.
